Kohal wins Most Valuable Player as host of Bulldogs earn All-IEL honors

(Photos by ERIC PLUMMER) Five Bulldog players earned all-league honors. Pictured from left to right are Julian Reichold, Terron Tvrdy, Mac Stultz, Tanner Kohal and Luke Koch.

| November 15, 2017 12:00 AM

SANDPOINT — Senior defender Tanner Kohal was named Most Valuable Player, and Evan McNeley Coach of the Year, as five Bulldogs earned a spot on the 4A All-Inland Empire League Soccer Team, as voted on recently by the league’s coaches.

Kohal finished the year with five assists, tallied while anchoring a stingy back three defensive line. He played with heavy pace, and attacked and owned most 50/50 balls.

Also earning a spot was senior midfielder Luke Koch, one of the best players in North Idaho in the air. He scored two goals, and his quiet and steady play was one of the biggest strengths of the team.

Senior Mac Stultz earned a spot by leading the Bulldogs in both goals and assists, rippling the net with 10 goals while dropping eight dimes. He was the target forward in the Bulldogs’ east-west attack, and applied a ton of pressure to opposing defenses.

Senior defender Terron Tvrdy provided steady-Freddy play, always making a quality touch and moving up from the back on occasion to score three goals. He and Kohal were prime reasons the Bulldogs thwarted opposing offenses to the tune of 11 shutouts on the year.

Rounding out the all-league Bulldog players was junior goalie Julian Reichold, who tallied 11 shutouts on the season and was good for at least one great save a game. While slightly undersized for a keeper, Reichold’s plus speed and soccer instincts are a weapon between in the box.

First year head coach Evan McNeley won the award not just for what his team did in league play, but overall, posting a 13-3-2 record against a schedule laden with 5A opponents and taking the Bulldogs to the brink of a state title after losing in a shootout in the semis.

4A All-IEL Boys Soccer Team

MVP — Tanner Kohal, Spt, Sr.

Top Newcomer — Cody Carvajal, LL.

Coach of the Year — Evan McNeley, Spt.

ALL-LEAGUE: Ethan Delberg, Mos; Jack Alexander, Mos; Max Mortimer, Mos; Dade McDevitt, LL; Tommy Krivaneck, LL; Cody Elmose, LL; Luke Koch, Spt; Mac Stultz, Spt; Terron Tvrdy, Spt; Julian Reichold, Spt; Mark Eldridge, Mos.